Migrating Common Object Request Broker Architecture programmatic login to Java Authentication and Authorization Service (CORBA and JAAS)

Use this topic as an example of how to perform programmatic login using the CORBA-based programmatic login APIs.

Before you begin

[AIX Solaris HP-UX Linux Windows] [IBM i] This document outlines the deprecated Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) programmatic login APIs and the alternatives that are provided by JAAS. WebSphere® Application Server fully supports the Java™ Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS) as programmatic login application programming interfaces (API). See Configuring programmatic logins for Java Authentication and Authorization Service and Developing programmatic logins with the Java Authentication and Authorization Service for more details on JAAS support.

[z/OS] Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA) application programming interfaces (API) are not supported in the WebSphere Application Server for z/OS® environment. If you have an application that you are porting from another WebSphere Application Server product to WebSphere Application Server for z/OS you must be aware that the security APIs that are deprecated in Version 6.0.x. If you want to use these applications on WebSphere Application Server for z/OS Version 8.0, you must migrate to Java Authentication and Authorization Service (JAAS).

The following list includes the deprecated CORBA programmatic login APIs.

${user.install.root}/installedApps/sampleApp.ear/default_app.war/WEB-INF/classes/LoginHelper.java.
${user.install.root}/installedApps/sampleApp.ear/default_app.war/WEB-INF/classes/ServerSideAuthenticator.java.
profile_root/installedApps/sampleApp.ear/default_app.war/WEB-INF/classes/ServerSideAuthenticator.java.
org.omg.SecurityLevel2.Credentials. This API is included with the product, but it is not recommended that you use the API.

The APIs that are provided in WebSphere Application Server are a combination of standard JAAS APIs and a product implementation of standard JAAS interfaces.

[z/OS] The supported APIs that are provided in WebSphere Application Server for z/OS are a combination of standard JAAS APIs and a product implementation of standard JAAS interfaces with some minor extension.

The following information is only a summary; refer to the JAAS documentation for your platform located at: https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/security/ .

Programmatic login APIs:
- javax.security.auth.login.LoginContext
- javax.security.auth.callback.CallbackHandler interface: The WebSphere Application Server product provides the following implementation of the javax.security.auth.callback.CallbackHandler interface:
  com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.callback.WSCallbackHandlerImpl
  
  Provides a non-prompt CallbackHandler handler when the application pushes basic authentication data (user ID, password, and security realm) or token data to product login modules. This API is recommended for server-side login.
  
  com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.callback.WSGUICallbackHandlerImpl
  
  Provides a login prompt CallbackHandler handler to gather basic authentication data (user ID, password, and security realm). This API is recommended for client-side login.
  If this API is used on the server side, the server is blocked for input.
  
  com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.callback.WSStdinCallbackHandlerImpl
  
  Provides a stdin login prompt CallbackHandler handler to gather basic authentication data (user ID, password, and security realm). This API is recommended for client-side login.
  Note: If this API is used on the server side, the server is blocked for input.
- javax.security.auth.callback.Callback interface:
  
  javax.security.auth.callback.NameCallback
  
  Provided by JAAS to pass the user name to the LoginModules interface.
  
  javax.security.auth.callback.PasswordCallback
  
  Provided by JAAS to pass the password to the LoginModules interface.
  
  com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.callback.WSCredTokenCallbackImpl
  
  Provided by the product to perform a token-based login. With this API, an application can pass a token-byte array to the LoginModules interface.
- javax.security.auth.spi.LoginModule interfaceWebSphere Application Server provides a LoginModules implementation for client and server-side login. Refer to Configuring programmatic logins for Java Authentication and Authorization Service for details.

javax.security.Subject:

com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.WSSubject

An extension provided by the product to invoke remote J2EE resources using the credentials in the javax.security.Subject

com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.WSSubject

An extension provided by the product to invoke remote J2EE resources using the credentials in the javax.security.Subject
An application must invoke the WSSubject.doAs method for J2EE resources access using the subject that is generated by an explicit invocation of a WebSphere Application Server login module.

com.ibm.websphere.security.cred.WSCredential

After a successful JAAS login with the WebSphere Application Server LoginModules interfaces, a com.ibm.websphere.security.cred.WSCredential credential is created and stored in the Subject.

com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.WSPrincipal

An authenticated principal that is created and stored in a Subject that is authenticated by the WebSphere Application Server LoginModules interface.

Procedure

Use the following as an example of how to perform programmatic login using the CORBA-based programmatic login APIs:

The CORBA-based programmatic login APIs are replaced by JAAS login.

Note: The LoginHelper application programming interface (API) that is used in the following example is deprecated in WebSphere Application Server Version 8.5 and will be removed in a future release. It is recommended that you use the JAAS programmatic login APIs that are shown in the next step.

public class TestClient {
...
private void performLogin() {
// Get the ID and password of the user.
String userid = customGetUserid();
String password = customGetPassword();

// Create a new security context to hold authentication data.
LoginHelper loginHelper = new LoginHelper();
try {
// Provide the ID and password of the user for authentication.
org.omg.SecurityLevel2.Credentials credentials = 
loginHelper.login(userid, password);

// Use the new credentials for all future invocations.
loginHelper.setInvocationCredentials(credentials);
// Retrieve the name of the user from the credentials
// so we can tell the user that login succeeded.

String username = loginHelper.getUserName(credentials);
System.out.println("Security context set for user: "+username);
} catch (org.omg.SecurityLevel2.LoginFailed e) {
// Handle the LoginFailed exception.
}
}
...
}

Use the following example to migrate the CORBA-based programmatic login APIs to the JAAS programmatic login APIs.

The following example assumes that the application code is granted for the required Java 2 security permissions. For more information, see Configuring programmatic logins for Java Authentication and Authorization Service, Protecting system resources and APIs (Java 2 security) for developing applications, and the JAAS documentation located at https://www.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/security/.

public class TestClient {
...
private void performLogin() {
// Create a new JAAS LoginContext.
javax.security.auth.login.LoginContext lc = null;

try {
// Use GUI prompt to gather the BasicAuth data.
lc = new javax.security.auth.login.LoginContext("WSLogin",
new com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.callback.WSGUICallbackHandlerImpl());

// create a LoginContext and specify a CallbackHandler implementation
// CallbackHandler implementation determine how authentication data is collected
// in this case, the authentication date is collected by  login prompt
//   and pass to the authentication mechanism implemented by the LoginModule.
} catch (javax.security.auth.login.LoginException e) {
System.err.println("ERROR: failed to instantiate a LoginContext and the exception: " 
+ e.getMessage());
e.printStackTrace();

// may be javax.security.auth.AuthPermission "createLoginContext" is not granted
//   to the application, or the JAAS Login Configuration is not defined.
}

if (lc != null)
try {
lc.login();  // perform login
javax.security.auth.Subject s = lc.getSubject();
// get the authenticated subject

// Invoke a J2EE resources using the authenticated subject
com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.WSSubject.doAs(s,
new java.security.PrivilegedAction() {
public Object run() {
try {
bankAccount.deposit(100.00);  // where bankAccount is an protected EJB
} catch (Exception e) {
System.out.println("ERROR: error while accessing EJB resource, exception: " 
+ e.getMessage());
e.printStackTrace();
}
return null;
}
}
);

// Retrieve the name of the principal from the Subject
// so we can tell the user that login succeeded,
// should only be one WSPrincipal.
java.util.Set ps = 
s.getPrincipals(com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.WSPrincipal.class);
java.util.Iterator it = ps.iterator();
while (it.hasNext()) {
com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.WSPrincipal p =
(com.ibm.websphere.security.auth.WSPrincipal) it.next();
System.out.println("Principal: " + p.getName());
}
} catch (javax.security.auth.login.LoginException e) {
System.err.println("ERROR: login failed with exception: " + e.getMessage());
e.printStackTrace();

// login failed, might want to provide relogin logic
}
}
...
}